COVID-19
My dad came from a poor family in the Philippines. Like many people who lived through the hardships of a 3rd world country, his pursuit to become a nurse didn't come with ease.
Using this profession as a ticket for a better life abroad, he faced many adversities in his journey to becoming a nurse for the NHS. From being rejected from undertaking an exam, due to having no money left for his tuition fees. To finally work abroad in Saudi Arabia, only for the 1st Gulf War to start. Coming back to the Philippines after two years, he was left with trauma through his experiences of war, and his failure of his pursuit of a better life abroad. Nonetheless, my dad persevered from all the calamities that life put in front of him, which eventually resulted in his triumph of coming to the UK.
With non-essentials retail stores opening in England on 15th June, the lockdown’s slowly being lifted. During the pandemic my dad’s worked hard to combat the virus despite his condition and having to undergo thyroid treatments a couple of years ago. Again, being close to imminent danger I’m at an age where I can thoroughly comprehend the adversities that he went through to get to where he is in life now. This being said, I wanted to commemorate him through his grit and heroic contributions by taking these portraits of him.
